Comparison of White Gel Polishes
I’m often asked how the Gelish whites compare to one another. Until this week I only owned Sheek White and Snow Bunny, but I also picked up Artic Freeze so I thought I would show you how all of the whites that I have compare side-by-side. Each swatch stick has two coats of color, and a top coat. It was very hard to try to get completely color accurate pictures, but I think this is a pretty good representation. From top to bottom:
- Gelish Artic Freeze is the whitest white in the Gelish line, and also has the best coverage.
- Gelish Sheek White (also called Sleek White), is slightly more sheer and also a touch darker.
- Gelish Snow Bunny is the sheerest of the three Gelish whites, and also the darkest. I would say it’s more of an eggshell color.
- Couture Ooh La La French is a bright white with good coverage.
- Ink Glacier is virtually identical to Couture.
- Shellac Cream Puff is also a bright white with good coverage, perhaps the best coverage of them all.
- Shellac Studio White is more sheer than Cream Puff and is a softer, more natural white.
And here’s another angle. The colors above are shown from left to right.
It’s really up to your preference as to which white to use for French manicures. Some people prefer a bright white, and some prefer a more natural white. I have always used Sheek White for French manis.
Hey Andrea. This post inspired me to look into Couture. What’s your overall opinion, compared to others? Thanks!
It’s a good quality brand. It’s easy to apply, easy to remove, and has good coverage.
I bought a bottle of ink glacier afraid seeing your additives posts but I’m having trouble with wrinkling/rippling. Any recommendations?
Hi Jenna, that usually happens when you apply the polish too thick. Apply thinner coats and see if it helps.
Hi Andrea,
I like the sheer natural look for a french manicure, not the opaque white. I want people to believe (for at least a split second) that it is my natural nails. Is one coat of snow bunny going to do the trick, or should I ask for two?
Hi Olivia. You’ll probably need two because one looks a little streaky. But start with one and see how it looks and go from there :)
Hey Andrea,
Have you tried the ‘Gelish Sweat Dream’ polish? How does this compare to the other whites in the gelish range?
Thanks!
Yes. Sweet Dream is a sheer polish with a milky tint. You can see swatches here: http://www.chickettes.com/gelish-sheer-neutral-swatches/
Thanks for the comparison of the whites! I would love to see a similar comparison of the black polishes.
Hi Andrea,
I’ve noticed that you use Sheek white as your “preferred white”. Is there any particular reason for this? Thanks, Amy
I previously used Sheek White a lot because it was the only white that I had at the time. My current preferred white is Gelish Artic Freeze because it’s a brighter white and has better coverage with just 2 coats.
Thanks Andrea : ) I adore your site – ur creativity and precision is phenomenal xx
Thank you for the comparison! I’ve noticed with sheek white the white becomes grungy looking and not as white after a week. Did you notice any of this with any of the other colors? Which one do you recommend?
I don’t normally keep my polish on that long. Arctic White is my favorite.
Hi Andrea,
I am looking for a very light grey/white polish with no sparkle in it, snow bunny looks like it might be my best choice so far. I can never tell if the polish is flat or has glitter or sparkle in it in a picture; is there anyway you could help me figure out what color would be best? I am looking for something to use in the summer so that I can use bright summer colors on my toes and want a more neutral color (has to be color and not sheer please) for my fingers. Thank you so much, your sight has become a go to for me!
Hi Tina, none of the whites seen in this post have any sparkle to them, they are all creams. Snow Bunny is a little off-white with a yellow/beige tint. If you want a light grey Cashmere Kind of Gal is a light cream grey.
Thank you so much! My salon doesn’t have cashmere kind of gal so I gave snow bunny a shot. Very nice just not the color I was looking for but would for sure use it again! I think I will just have to buy the cashmere kind of gal for myself. Have a great weekend!
I have been using gel polish for about 2 years with great success. One thing I haven’t figured out is how to get even coverage with both white and black polishes. It seems like no matter how many coats I use it still looks uneven and streaky. None of your swatches look that way, so I am wondering if you use a specific technique to get them so even. I also have the same issue with light colors like Gelish Pink Smoothie. Thanks!!
I don’t have any special techniques. My black and white sometimes look streaky too, though it doesn’t really show in pictures.
I own gelish artic freeze however I find that after just one day it starts to chip. Do you have any techniques that is could try to keep it from chipping? This is the only gelish polish that chips this bad.
Hello. I am actually looking for a pearly white (something like Light Elegances White Swimsuit gel). Would Arctic Freeze come close to that?
No, Arctic Freeze is just a plain white cream. The only pearly white that I can think of at the moment is Pink Gellac Magic Pearl, but it has a golden sheen to it.
Hi Andrea, which of the White gel polishes goes on best as far as streaks are concerned as I always have problems with streaks
I don’t own many whites, but most of them do require 3 coats for solid coverage. DIY Hard Nails has a pretty pigmented white, and I like Gelish Arctic Freeze.